Farmers in stress have told the ABC they are unable to afford school excursions, new clothes or some basic items including red meat and vegetables because the majority of their money is being channelled into the spiralling cost of paying for stock feed and transport.

Many struggling families have raised concerns about the significant paperwork required to apply for the payment.

The Scott family in Yeoval, in drought-affected New South Wales, described months spent dealing with bureaucratic red tape. They are still yet to be approved for the payment.

Federal Agriculture Minister, David Littleproud, has already asked the Department of Social Services to look at ways to simplify the process to apply.